NTIA Announces Intent to Transition Key Internet Domain Name Functions Topics: ICANNDomain Name SystemPrinter-friendly version FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2014News Media Contact: NTIA, Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-7002, press@ntia.doc.gov WASHINGTON – To support and enhance the multistakeholder model of Internet policymaking and governance, the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announces its intent to transition key Internet domain name functions to the global multistakeholder community. As the first step, NTIA is asking the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to convene global stakeholders to develop a proposal to transition the current role played by NTIA in the coordination of the Internet’s domain name system (DNS). NTIA’s responsibility includes the procedural role of administering changes to the authoritative root zone file – the database containing the lists of names and addresses of all top-level domains – as well as serving as the historic steward of the DNS. NTIA currently contracts with ICANN to carry out the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions and has a Cooperative Agreement with Verisign under which it performs related root zone management functions. Transitioning NTIA out of its role marks the final phase of the privatization of the DNS as outlined by the U.S. Government in 1997. “The timing is right to start the transition process,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Lawrence E. Strickling. “We look forward to ICANN convening stakeholders across the global Internet community to craft an appropriate transition plan.” ICANN is uniquely positioned, as both the current IANA functions contractor and the global coordinator for the DNS, as the appropriate party to convene the multistakeholder process to develop the transition plan. NTIA has informed ICANN that it expects that in the development of the proposal, ICANN will work collaboratively with the directly affected parties, including the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Internet Architecture Board (IAB), the Internet Society (ISOC), the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), top level domain name operators, VeriSign, and other interested global stakeholders. NTIA has communicated to ICANN that the transition proposal must have broad community support and address the following four principles: Support and enhance the multistakeholder model;Maintain the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet DNS;Meet the needs and expectation of the global customers and partners of the IANA services; and, Maintain the openness of the Internet. Consistent with the clear policy expressed in bipartisan resolutions of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives (S.Con.Res.50 and H.Con.Res.127), which affirmed the United States support for the multistakeholder model of Internet governance, NTIA will not accept a proposal that replaces the NTIA role with a government-led or an inter-governmental organization solution.

From the inception of ICANN, the U.S. Government and Internet stakeholders envisioned that the U.S. role in the IANA functions would be temporary. The Commerce Department’s June 10, 1998 Statement of Policy stated that the U.S. Government “is committed to a transition that will allow the private sector to take leadership for DNS management.” ICANN as an organization has matured and taken steps in recent years to improve its accountability and transparency and its technical competence. At the same time, international support continues to grow for the multistakeholder model of Internet governance as evidenced by the continued success of the Internet Governance Forum and the resilient stewardship of the various Internet institutions. While stakeholders work through the ICANN-convened process to develop a transition proposal, NTIA’s current role will remain unchanged. The current IANA functions contract expires September 30, 2015. For further information see: IANA Functions and Related Root Zone Management Transition Questions and Answers About NTIANTIA is the Executive Branch agency that advises the President on telecommunications and information policy issues. NTIA’s programs and policymaking focus largely on expanding broadband Internet access and adoption in America, expanding the use of spectrum by all users, and ensuring that the Internet remains an engine for continued innovation and economic growth. To find out more about NTIA, visitwww.ntia.doc.gov.

On Tue, Feb 4, 2014 at 7:28 PM, Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga@hotmail.com> wrote: One notable difference from South Africa that is emerging in the Kenyan case is that the Kenyan regulator intends to assume its regulatory oversight over the dot.KE name space. This is as per the amended, Kenya Information Communication Act, 2009 and as recently emphasized in a post to the KICTAnet list by the CCK communication manager, Mr. Christopher Wambua. It will be interesting to see what role KENIC will be left to play, once this de-facto, self-regulation practice is taken away. In yet another posting to the KICTAnet list, Prof. Jimmy Macharia, the current KENIC Chairman envisions KENIC retaining its administrative control over both the ccTLD and the Second Level Domains. This is quite different from the South African case where the second level domain management and administration is outsourced to different entities. http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/dot9/Kenyas-Internet-Domain-Set-for-a-Sha... _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.